1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network system, a data processing apparatus, and a data processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus management system including an image forming apparatus and a management server for controlling processes performed by the image forming apparatus is known (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-244518).
With the conventional image forming apparatus management system, the image forming apparatus obtains, for example, IC card identification data from an IC card reader. After the IC card identification data is obtained from the IC card reader, the management server obtains a user ID corresponding to the IC card identification data obtained from the image forming apparatus along with use restriction data pertaining to the use of the image forming apparatus. The management server allows the image forming apparatus to perform a process based on the use restriction data.
In recent years, there is a wide spread of a kind of use (service) in which a server of a public network is used instead of a server of a private network (e.g., in-house network). One example of this kind of use (service) is a cloud service. With this kind of use, an unspecified large number of users and companies are anticipated to use the server of the public network.
Accordingly, in a case where the server of the public network is used by such unspecified large number of users and companies, user authentication is, in general, performed from the standpoint of information security. For example, user authentication is performed in the private network (e.g., in-house network) and a public network (e.g., cloud service).
From the standpoint of information security, it is not preferable to use the same authentication data for both the public network and the private network. On the other hand, using separate authentication data for the private network and the public network and inputting authentication data with respect to each function/service is not convenient for the user.